Gill RS200 Eurocup at Lake Garda - Overall
by Julian Bradley 20 Aug 2014 19:40 BST
28 July - 1 August 2014
Riva del Garda is known for its scenery, skiing in the Winter and many go hill walking during its hot summers, But these weren't the only sweaty and tired hikers hanging round the harbour last week – welcome to the Gill RS200 Eurocup, whose 60-odd participants are often described as 'staggering'. Usually around the Oca Bar at midnight.
For those who have never been, Fraglia Vela Riva sailing club is architecturally similar to a fin de siècle Hacienda – the sort favoured by Colombian export/export businessmen. It is actually quite splendid and large with a bar and sun loungers, although (reportedly) the ladies changing facilities are tighter than [insert your own euphemism].
The club is given over entirely to the hosted event, and this year the organisers put up barriers to keep Muggles out of the dinghy park. Whilst the town is noted for its fashionable chic and stylish modernity of its young and vibrant population, you don't want seedy, unsavoury, shabby types in the dinghy park. Regretfully, Andy Peters was nevertheless granted admission. The boundaries of sartorial acceptability were challenged somewhat by the red Stella McCartney hiking boots of John McKelvie. Wet spillage in aisle 3. I mean, really.
Anyway, people race boats here because of the local wind called the 'Ora'. If you are a hairy-chested, borderline psychotic helmsmith (sorry Charlotte) and razzing around at 20+ knots is your thing, you'd probably quite like it here. The microclimate is the thing. By and large, if it is hot, the Ora fires up anytime from about midday. This is like spending the day in a blow drier, with reaches so fast you don't get the time to get scared or admire the fantastic scenery.
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday last week, the murk hung around the hills like disappointing yoghurt, dampening the wind. More Thora than Ora. One race was abandoned due to most teams nodding off. With only 1 race each for Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday (when everyone got wetter than a submarine's number plate) and Thursday were 3 races a-piece, and a regulation 2 on Friday.
You can see the results below – do you really want to read about the racing? Andy and Jill Peters, who hiked like badgers on chest hair jam, made the most of a much breezier second half of the week to pip Hamish Walker. And the wind on the last day was a proper omigod 30 knots or so.
The two race teams (each with a distinctive whiff of fags and Valpolicella) did a fantastic job, turning races around very quickly and second-guessing the next wind pattern every time. We alternated between the cliffs and the middle of the lake every other day. Also, many thanks to Heather's organisational skills, serene and swan-like, never betraying any undignified thrashing below the waterline.
Oh, and thanks to Volvo, who have lent me one of their massive cars for the Nationals. Amazing how much ice you can take to a barbecue in the boot of a loan car. I must remember to say, "it's very noisy for an automatic," when I give the keys back.
Overall Results:
Pos | Sail No | Helm
Crew
Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 | R9 | R10 | Pts |
1 | GBR 1559 | Andrew Peters
Jill Peters
Queen Mary SC | 1 | 1 | ‑5 | 1 | ‑3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 14 |
2 | GBR 995 | Hamish Walker
Emma Hivey
RNSA & ASA | 4 | ‑6 | 2 | ‑7 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 17 |
3 | GBR 1436 | Josh Flack
Millie Alcock
Parkstone YC | 5 | 5 | ‑12 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 8 | ‑10 | 1 | 31 |
4 | GBR 1325 | Charlotte Savage
Mike Wood
Lancing SC | 3 | ‑12 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 4 | ‑10 | 36 |
5 | GBR 1422 | Caroline Martin
M J Gifford
Burghfield SC | 2 | 2 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 4 | ‑11 | ‑22 | 38 |
6 | GBR 1508 | George Yeoman
Sophie Ormsby
Itchenor SC | 7 | ‑9 | 3 | ‑10 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 39 |
7 | GBR 968 | Keith Escritt
Andrea Clough
Yorkshire Dales SC | 9 | 7 | 1 | 6 | ‑16 | 10 | 12 | ‑13 | 1 | 11 | 57 |
8 | GBR 855 | Tom Brophy
Amy Yeoman
Parkstone YC | 6 | ‑15 | ‑15 | 11 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 58 |
9 | GBR 1546 | John McKelvie
Sarah Watson
Strangford Lough YC | 10 | ‑18 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 13 | ‑16 | 62 |
10 | GBR 809 | Chris Perry
Kirsty Lytton
Aberdeen & Stonehaven YC | 8 | 8 | 10 | ‑16 | 12 | ‑18 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 6 | 81 |
11 | GBR 1228 | Joe Adams
Emma Lucas | ‑18 | 4 | 11 | 14 | 13 | 15 | ‑21 | 17 | 7 | 3 | 84 |
12 | GBR 1200 | Keri Harris
Theo Harris
RNSA | 11 | 16 | 13 | 4 | 10 | 11 | 15 | 7 | ‑18 | ‑18 | 87 |
13 | AUS 1569 | Lara Blasse
Peter Milne
Black Rock YC | 12 | 3 | ‑18 | 13 | 15 | 12 | 9 | 16 | 8 | ‑19 | 88 |
14 | GBR 1333 | Russell Collister
June Collister
Isle of Man YC | 14 | 14 | ‑17 | 9 | 9 | 17 | ‑18 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 94 |
15 | GBR 1263 | Julian Bradley
Helen Cafferata
Wembley SC | 16 | 10 | 7 | (dnf) | 19 | 13 | 10 | ‑24 | 16 | 15 | 106 |
16 | GBR 623 | Ben Wilcox
Rachel Offer
East Lothian YC | 13 | 17 | ‑19 | 15 | ‑18 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 14 | 9 | 107 |
17 | GBR 1257 | Phil Hardisty
Ciara Kaneen
Isle of Man YC | 17 | ‑25 | 16 | 12 | 14 | 16 | ‑19 | 14 | 17 | 13 | 119 |
18 | GBR 1571 | Allan Lennox
Amy Lennox
Aberdeen & Stonehaven YC | (dns) | 11 | ‑24 | 22 | 20 | 9 | 11 | 19 | 15 | 14 | 121 |
19 | GBR 148 | Tom Taylor
Sophie Hill
Wembley SC | 15 | 13 | 8 | 17 | 11 | (dnf) | (dnf) | dnf | 23 | 8 | 124 |
20 | GBR 1444 | Jody Warner
Emma Warner | 19 | 19 | 14 | ‑24 | 21 | ‑23 | 16 | 21 | 21 | 17 | 148 |
21 | GBR 370 | Gary Parks
Chris Parks
Restronguet SC | 21 | 20 | (dnf) | 18 | ‑23 | 20 | 20 | 15 | 20 | 20 | 154 |
22 | GBR 1565 | Roger Wilson
Renata Sapazinskaite
Wembley SC | 20 | ‑23 | 21 | 19 | 17 | 19 | 22 | 18 | 22 | ‑26 | 158 |
23 | GBR 1036 | Robert Poole
Josh Seddon
Wembley SC | 22 | ‑24 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 17 | 20 | 19 | ‑24 | 162 |
24 | AUS 1566 | David Clancy
Kayla Fabris
Black Rock YC | 25 | ‑26 | 22 | 20 | 26 | 24 | 25 | (dnf) | 26 | 21 | 189 |
25 | GBR 1027 | Tim Jones
Carol Jones
Fisherrow YC | ‑26 | 21 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 23 | ‑27 | 23 | 191 |
26 | GBR 1111 | Pippa Baker
Phil Davies
Mounts Bay SC | 24 | 22 | (dnf) | (dnf) | dnf | 22 | 23 | 22 | 24 | 25 | 191 |
27 | GBR 711 | Richard Brown
Judith Brown
Draycote Water SC | 23 | (dnf) | 25 | 23 | 24 | 26 | 24 | 25 | 25 | ‑27 | 195 |
28 | GBR 797 | Liz Worman
Charlotte Petford
RNSA | 27 | (dnf) | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 27 | (dnf) | 28 | dnf | 217 |